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Linda's 'handwritten' hot cross buns recipe

4 ratings

Linda, in our story, loves baking hot cross buns for her grandchildren, even though they can never agree on a filling they all like. They’re coming over on Easter Sunday, so this year she’s baking a different flavour for each of them. So that they'll know whose is whose, she'll pipe each child's initials on the buns! See method

Serves
12 (makes 12 large or 16 small buns)

35 mins to prepare and 15-18 mins to cook, plus proofing

274 calories / serving

Healthy

Ingredients

525g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting

1 heaped tsp mixed spice

55g caster sugar, plus an extra 1/2 tbsp

45g dried milk powder

7g sachet dried yeast

55g butter, melted then cooled slightly, plus extra for greasing

1 egg, beaten

2 tbsp plain flour

2 tbsp runny honey (optional)

To personalise the buns

35g chocolate chips

35g dried apricots, diced

35g raisins

35g dried cranberries

Each serving contains

Energy

1160kj274kcal14%

Fat

6g9%

Saturates

3g15%

Sugars

16g17%

Salt

Method

Mix the bread flour, spice, sugar, milk powder and yeast in a bowl with a pinch salt. Make a well in the centre. Lightly beat together the butter, egg and 250ml (8 1/2fl oz) lukewarm water, then pour in to the flour mix. Knead the flour into the liquid slowly, until a soft dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Return to the bowl, cover with a damp cloth and leave to rise for 1-1 1/2 hours, until doubled in size.

Once risen, knock back the dough by punching lightly. Cut it into 4. To personalise, knead a filling into each quarter. Cut each piece into 3 (for 12 buns) or 4 (for 16), then shape each into a ball. Transfer to a greased baking sheet, cover with a damp cloth and leave for 30-45 minutes, until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to gas 7, 220°C, fan 200°C. For the topping, mix the plain flour, 1/2 tbsp sugar and 2-3 tbsp water into a smooth, thick paste. Spoon into a piping bag with a small plain nozzle.

Mark a cross on each bun with the back of a knife, then pipe paste on top. Pipe the initial of who the bun is for, if you like.